This invention relates to a propellant and a method of making a propellant and more particularly to a composite propellant having a high impetus and low flame temperature and method of making a composite propellant.
In minimal weight rapid fire cannon an acceptable gun propellant should deliver an impetus of 3.8 .times. 10.sup.5 ft lb/lb with a flame temperature less than 2,600.degree.K. Current double base gun propellants are characterized by a relatively low impetus (3.0 to 3.5 .times. 10.sup.5) ft lb/lb and high flame temperature (3,000.degree. to 4,200.degree.K). In rapid fire cannon the high flame temperatures compromise barrel life. Efforts to decrease barrel errosion by lowering flame temperatures have been affected only by lowering impetus. Alternate routes to increased impetus by increasing a propellant charge or pressure are self-abnegating in that the overall weight of the gun is increased. Composite gun propellants utilizing liquid or free flowing binders have the following disadvantages (a) the hydrogen content is relatively low which impairs impetus (b) the extruded grains have no dimensional stability and (c) retention of grain configuration is difficult during curing.
Also adding components to a propellant to achieve desired properties requires additional processing of the material. Adding of the various components to the propellant must be accomplished by a relatively simple method in order to make the component to be added an even more desirable additive.